Designer vs. Published Site

What's the Difference?

Webflow Designer (Where You Edit)
- This is the editing environment
- Only accessible to people with Webflow account login access
- Where you customize content, design, and functionality
- Changes here are NOT live until you publish
- Full access to all Webflow tools and settings

Published Site (What Your Visitors See)
- This is your live website
- Accessible to anyone on the internet (if public)
- Shows the current published version
- Visitors can view and interact with your site
- This is what matters for your audience

The Publishing Workflow

1. Make Changes in Designer
   - Edit content, design, etc.
   - Changes are temporary
   - Your site visitors don't see changes yet

2. Preview Your Changes
   - Click "Preview" to see how changes look
   - Test on different devices
   - Verify everything works correctly

3. Publish to Make Live
   - Click "Publish" when ready
   - Select "Publish live sites"
   - Changes now appear on your live website

4. Visitors See Published Version
   - Your audience sees the published website
   - Designer changes are now live
   - Repeat the process for future updates

Important Notes:
- There's always a difference between Designer (draft) and live site
- Only people you invite can access the Designer
- Publishing is instant - no delays or queuing
- You can make changes anytime without affecting the live site
- Always preview before publishing to avoid mistakes

Inviting Collaborators
If you want others to help edit your site:
1. Go to Project Settings → Share
2. Invite them by email
3. They'll get a link and can collaborate
4. You choose their permission level (view, edit, admin)

Keeping Designer and Live Site in Sync
- Publish regularly so your live site reflects your latest work
- Use Preview to check changes before publishing
- Keep important content backed up
- Don't make major changes without testing first